Graveside Lanterns
by SuperWhoLandLocked
Summary: Damon did eventually end up lighting a lantern for his drinking buddy, for his friend. And it did help that Jeremy was there to relay messages. Dalaric Bromance
**Well, another one. Second for today. Guess I can't stay away. This came to me today as I was doing laundry and wouldn't leave me alone until I penned it down. So, here it is. Enjoy or don't enjoy. Do review though!**

 _Damon: "They are floating lanterns in the sky. Can you believe that? Japanese lanterns is a symbol of letting go of the past. Well, here's a newsflash- we're not Japanese. You know what they are? Children. Like lighting a candle's going to make everything OK, or even saying a prayer. Or pretending Elena's not going to end up just like the rest of us murdering vampires. Stupid, delusional, exasperating little children. And I know what you're going to say: 'It makes them feel better, Damon.' So what? For how long? A minute, a day? What difference does it make? Because in the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be. And a rock with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong. So thanks, friend. Thanks for leaving me here to babysit. Because I should be long gone by now. I didn't get the girl, remember? I'm just stuck here fighting my brother and taking care of the kids. You owe me big."_

* * *

Damon stared at the headstone as he took another gulp from the bottle of bourbon in his hand.

"I'm still saving your seat at the Grill. But, you probably knew that already. Jeremy says he sees you ever so often, but it's almost exclusively around me. Should I feel flattered or bothered? The whole lantern thing was only three days ago. God, my life is insane now. Did you know there is now a cure for vampirism? Oh yeah. And we've got Professor Shady Pants who wants to resurrect some centuries old vampire. But, to even find him, Jeremy's hunter tattoo needs to be completed. So, not only am I stuck with babysitting duty thanks to you, but also hunter training. You would have been so much better at this than I am. Jeremy hates me. He really does. I get it. I killed him, got Jenna killed, I'm the reason Elena is a vampire, I got you killed, killed Vicki. The cons far outweigh the pros to him. I'm not a good person, I'm the bad guy. Always have been. It's Saint Stefan who's the hero, not me. I can't even admit to feelings. I really wish I could. Maybe then I could tell you I miss you. Nobody else in this town is good enough to be my drinking buddy. They all don't like me. I killed you and you still eventually liked me. You were my buddy. I don't have a buddy anymore." he sighed. He poured a little of the bourbon over the grave. "Drinks on me, Ric."

His head turned as a twig snapped.

"What are you doing here, Little Gilbert?" he called as Jeremy appeared. The youngest Gilbert sighed.

"Alaric told me to come here. Said he had some things to tell you." she replied. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Great. Now, I'm going to get told off by my dead drinking buddy. This day couldn't get any better."

"He said to stop beating yourself up." Jeremy told him. Damon glared at the headstone.

"Seriously, Ric? You can't tell me what to do." he grumbled. Jeremy groaned.

"I really have to tell him that? I don't want to die, you know." he said, talking to the empty space next to the grave. Damon threw a stick at him and Jeremy glared at him in return.

"Just tell me what he said, Van Helsing. I've got things to do, people to torment. You know, the works."

"He said, and I quote, "Go light a lantern, like the child you wanted to be that night". And that his birthday isn't wrong." Jeremy said. Damon looked around.

"Where is he?" he asked. Jeremy pointed to a spot to the left of the tombstone and Damon threw a rock at it.

"Shut up, Ric. I'm not lighting a stupid lantern."

"He said that if you don't light a lantern, he'll torment you forever." Jeremy snickered. Damon threw him a glare and he put his hands up. "Hey, I'm just relaying the message. It's all Alaric."

"I'm not lighting a lantern." Damon said, getting up. "I'm going to the Grill."

Jeremy watched as the vampire walked away.

* * *

The woods were quiet. It was the middle of the night, after all. Damon sat in the same spot he had earlier.

"I hate you." he muttered as he lit a lantern and released it into the sky. He watched it float away as he took a drink. When it disappeared from sight, he stood and made his way back to his car. He stopped as whispery words met his ears.

 _"I miss you too, buddy."_

* * *

 **Well, that was longer than planned. But, who can resist a Dalaric bro-fic? I cannot. Besides, I really liked the idea of Damon lighting a lantern for Alaric in secret. Jeremy was thrown in there cause I needed Alaric to be able to communicate somehow that wasn't super 'supernatural' in form.** **I feel like Damon is OOC for most of this, but I'm claiming creative license. I can do that...right?**


End file.
